Turkish Tea Culture: Tulip Glasses, the Çaydanlık and How to Brew It

Walk through any street in Istanbul and you’ll see it: small tulip-shaped glasses of deep red tea on saucers, carried on swinging trays from shop to shop. Tea (çay) is the everyday drink of Türkiye — offered to guests, sipped at breakfast, shared at work and enjoyed late into the evening. Türkiye is consistently among the countries with the highest tea consumption per person in the world.

Where Turkish tea comes from

Most Turkish tea is grown on the green, rainy slopes of the eastern Black Sea coast, around the city of Rize. It is a black tea with a bright colour and a smooth, slightly brisk taste — perfect for drinking glass after glass throughout the day.

The çaydanlık: two pots, one perfect brew

Turkish tea is brewed in a çaydanlık, a double teapot with a large kettle at the bottom and a smaller pot on top. The steam from the boiling water keeps the strong tea in the top pot warm while it brews slowly.

1. Fill the bottom kettle with water and bring it to the boil.
2. Put the loose tea in the top pot — roughly one tablespoon per two glasses — and pour a little boiling water over it.
3. Place the top pot on the kettle and let it steep over low heat for about 10–15 minutes.
4. Pour some strong tea from the top pot into the glass, then top it up with hot water from the kettle.

The ratio is up to you: ask for koyu if you like it dark and strong, or açık if you prefer it light. The colour Turks look for is often described as tavşan kanı — “rabbit’s blood”, a clear, deep ruby red.

Why the tulip-shaped glass?

The classic ince belli (“thin-waisted”) glass is part of the experience. Its slim shape lets you admire the colour of the tea, keeps the top cool enough to hold by the rim, and keeps the tea at the bottom warm for longer. It is served on a small saucer with a tiny spoon, and sugar cubes on the side — never milk.

Tea etiquette in Türkiye

• Accepting tea is polite. Being offered tea is a sign of hospitality — in homes, shops and even at the bazaar while you browse.
• Your glass will be refilled. To signal you’ve had enough, place your spoon across the top of the glass.
• Tea goes with everything. Breakfast, simit, pastries, Turkish delight or simply conversation.

Bring the tea house home

To recreate the ritual, you only need three things: a çaydanlık, a set of tulip glasses with saucers, and good Turkish black tea. Explore our Turkish tea collection — from tea glasses to complete tea sets.